Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) is a multidisciplinary firm specializing in the planning and design of museums, exhibits, educational environments and visitor attractions. A family-owned company founded in 1978, its portfolio includes many of the world’s most recognizable public learning institutions across 700 completed commissions in more than 50 countries. Headquartered in New York, with branch offices in London, Moscow, Berlin, Beijing and Dubai, RAA has a staff of over two hundred practitioners including designers, architects, historians, educators, media specialists, technologists, and researchers. RAA is known for its work for national governments, leading institutions, and major corporations.

 

Founded in 1978 by Ralph Appelbaum, the firm has created over 500 projects that are visited by over 50 million people each year.

Capabilities

RAA has expertise in all aspects of planning, design, and media production. The firm offers comprehensive interpretive solutions, from a project's concept phase to its realization.

Planning

    Design

      Media

        • Architectural Coordination
        • Art Direction
        • Art Direction and Graphic Design
        • Branding and Visual Identity
        • Budgeting
        • Business Plans and Operating Projections
        • Concepting, Storyboarding, Scriptwriting
        • Conceptualization
        • Content Development and Coordination
        • Editing and Animation
        • Executive Media Production
        • Exhibit Design
        • Food Service Design
        • Fundraising Materials
        • Interaction Design and Development
        • Interior Design
        • Master Planning
        • Mobile App Design and Development
        • Photography, Filming
        • Precedents and Best Practices
        • Project Management
        • Prototyping and Material Sampling
        • Retail Design
        • Script Writing
        • Site Coordination
        • Site Evaluations, Operations, and Facilities
        • User Interface and User Experience Design
        • Wayfinding
        • Web Design and Development

        People (112)

        The firm is composed of designers, writers, architects, scientists, historians, artists, educators, and filmmakers. They work collaboratively to produce authentic and compelling attractions rooted in a deep understanding of content, expert storytelling, and world-class design.

        • Aki Carpenter
          Design
          New York
        • Alice Lee
          Management
          New York
        • Andrea Jacob
          Design
          Berlin
        • Andrei Vovk
          Design
          Moscow
        • Andri Klausen
          Design
          New York
        • Anette Dittel
          Content
          Berlin
        • Anna Davydova
          Management
          New York
        • Anni Heuchel
          Management
          Berlin
        • Arturo Padilla
          Management
          New York
        • Berit Schmitt
          Design
          Berlin
        • Breanna Gary
          Design
          New York
        • Brook Anderson
          Design
          New York
        • Buke Kumyol
          Design
          New York
        • Carlin Wragg
          Media
          New York
        • Carlos Rodriguez
          Design
          New York
        • Casey Lynn
          Management
          New York
        • Charlotte Kingston
          Content
          London
        • Cheng-ju Chang
          Design
          Beijing
        • Christiaan Kuypers
          Design
          New York
        • Christian Geisser
          Design
          Berlin
        • Christopher Miceli
          Design
          New York
        • Claudia Woschke
          Content
          Berlin
        • Constanze Hager
          Design
          Berlin
        • Dac Campbell
          Management
          New York
        • Danae Colomer
          Design
          New York
        • Deborah Wolff
          Management
          New York
        • Dennis Cohen
          Design
          New York
        • Edith Hirte
          Content
          Berlin
        • Elizabeth Walker
          Content
          New York
        • Emma Kilday
          Design
          London
        • Evelyn Reilly
          Content
          New York
        • Francis O'Shea
          Content
          New York
        • Frank Forell
          Design
          Berlin
        • Frank Fuhs
          Design
          Berlin
        • Gabriel Ivorra
          Design
          New York
        • George Robertson
          Media
          New York
        • Grit Vltavsky
          Design
          New York
        • Hannah Nathans
          Design
          New York
        • Harry Hauck
          Design
          Berlin
        • Helios Tavio
          Content
          New York
        • Hongy-I Tsai
          Design
          Beijing
        • Huling Liu
          Content
          Beijing
        • James Cathcart
          Design
          New York
        • James Ward
          Design
          London
        • Jennie Pocock
          Management
          New York
        • Jennifer Bell
          Management
          London
        • Jennifer Whitburn
          Design
          New York
        • Jesen Tanadi
          Design
          New York
        • Jessica Holbrook
          Management
          London
        • John Blanchard
          Design
          London
        • John Locascio
          Design
          New York
        • Jon Grizzle
          Design
          New York
        • Josh Dudley
          Design
          New York
        • Josh Hartley
          Design
          New York
        • Joyce Wang
          Design
          Beijing
        • Kaneez Hassan
          Management
          New York
        • Karen Booth
          Content
          New York
        • Katie Barnard
          Media
          New York
        • Lisa Naumann
          Design
          Berlin
        • Louise Bernard
          Content
          New York
        • Luka Kito
          Design
          New York
        • Madeline Chinnici
          Content
          New York
        • Maggie Jacobstein
          Content
          New York
        • Marianne Schuit
          Design
          New York
        • Maria Sanchez
          Management
          New York
        • Mary Beth Byrne
          Content
          New York
        • Mary Choueiter
          Design
          New York
        • Mat Mason
          Design
          London
        • Megan Kerman
          Design
          New York
        • Melanie Ide
          Design
          New York
        • Michael Abraham
          Content
          New York
        • Michael Maggio
          Design
          New York
        • Mingwang Huo
          Design
          Beijing
        • Miranda Smith
          Content
          New York
        • Mirko Cerami
          Design
          London
        • Nick Appelbaum
          Management
          New York
        • Nurzada Aaly
          Management
          New York
        • Patrick Swindell
          Design
          New York
        • Paulina Samardakiewicz
          Design
          Berlin
        • Paul Williams
          Content
          New York
        • Phil Hughes
          Design
          London
        • Phillip Tefft
          Design
          London
        • Qian Fang
          Design
          Beijing
        • Qiong Yang
          Design
          Beijing
        • Rachel Gershman
          Content
          New York
        • Rachel Martin
          Design
          Berlin
        • Ralph Appelbaum
          Management
          New York
        • Rick Sobel
          Design
          New York
        • Rio Valledor
          Design
          New York
        • Rob Bolesta
          Design
          New York
        • Rosanna Vitiello
          Design
          London
        • Scott Shepard
          Media
          Berlin
        • Sean Pattison
          Media
          New York
        • Sebastian Scheller
          Design
          Berlin
        • Shuang Zhang
          Design
          Beijing
        • Sida Bai
          Design
          Beijing
        • Simon Chang
          Design
          Beijing
        • Stefka Simeonova
          Design
          Berlin
        • Theo LeGro
          Management
          New York
        • Thierry Debaille
          Management
          Berlin
        • Tim Ventimiglia
          Design
          Berlin
        • Tracey Taylor
          Content
          London
        • Tracy Archer Ward
          Management
          London
        • Vanessa Offen
          Content
          Berlin
        • Vicky Regehr
          Design
          Berlin
        • Victoria Metje
          Design
          Berlin
        • Walter Froetscher
          Design
          Berlin
        • Wenke Merkel
          Design
          Berlin
        • Wen Liu
          Design
          Beijing
        • Xiaoling Li
          Management
          Beijing
        • Yasmin Ataalla
          Design
          Berlin
        • Yue Cheng
          Design
          Beijing

        Clients (368)

        RAA has realized commissions in thirty-three countries on five continents. Whether one-room displays or encyclopedic presentations in palatial settings, RAA's exhibitions entertain and educate a global audience.

        • Abraham House
        • Academy of Natural Sciences
        • Adler Planetarium
        • Adventure Science Center
        • Air Force Memorial Foundation
        • Alabama Historical Commission
        • American Civil War Center
        • American Folk Art Museum
        • American Indian Cultural Center and Museum
        • American Merchant Marine Museum
        • American Museum of Natural History
        • American Natural Gas Company
        • American Natural Resources Company
        • American Revolution Center
        • Amherst College
        • Anchorage Museum of History and Art
        • Andrei Sakharov Museum
        • Architalx
        • Architect of the Capitol
        • Arizona State Museum
        • Art Institute of Chicago
        • Athlone Castle
        • AT&T
        • Aurora Corporation
        • Ayerst Laboratories
        • Bahrain National Charter Monument Museum
        • Ballymena Museum Development Foundation
        • Bay Center, San Francisco
        • Beijing Capital Museum
        • Big Well Museum
        • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
        • Bishop Museum
        • Blue Ridge Music Center
        • Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center
        • Bost Building
        • Boston Zoological Society
        • British Music Centre
        • British Olympic Association
        • Bullock Texas State History Museum
        • California Academy of Sciences
        • California Indian Heritage Center
        • Callaway Gardens
        • Callaway Golf
        • Canadian Museum for Human Rights
        • Canoa Ranch
        • Cape Fear Museum
        • Carlsberg
        • Center for Architecture
        • Center Stage
        • Central Park Conservancy
        • Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
        • Chattanooga History Center
        • Chemical Heritage Foundation
        • Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian
        • Children's Museum of Manhattan
        • China Guardian Auctions Co., Ltd.
        • China State Shipbuilding Corporation
        • Citibank
        • City of Norfolk
        • Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias
        • Cocoran Gallery of Art
        • Coexist Foundation
        • Columbia University Medical Center
        • Columbus Museum of Art
        • Con Edison
        • Constitution Hill
        • Convoy Wharf
        • Corning Museum of Glass
        • Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History
        • Council for America's First Freedom
        • Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
        • Craig Thomas Discovery Center
        • Dalian Software Park
        • Dallas Museum of Natural Science
        • Daoping Geology Museum
        • Delaware River Bay Authority
        • Denali National Park
        • Deng Xiaoping Memorial Museum
        • Derngate Visitor Centre
        • Dewitt Wallace Gallery
        • Doha Heritage Quarter Houses
        • Douglas County Museum
        • Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)
        • Dunhuang Academy
        • Eaton Corporation
        • Expo Zaragoza
        • ExxonMobil
        • Fair Park
        • Federal Bar Council
        • Federal Hall National Memorial
        • Federal Reserve Bank of New York
        • Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia
        • Field Museum of Natural History
        • First Freedom Center
        • Florida Department of State
        • Florida Museum of Natural History
        • Ford Foundation
        • Frances Edmunds Center for Historic Preservation
        • Franklin Institute
        • Franklin Park Children's Zoo
        • Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin D. Martin House
        • Freedom Center Underground Railroad Museum
        • Freedom Tower
        • Freetown Village
        • Fresno Historical Society
        • Fresno Metropolitan Museum
        • Fresno State Museum
        • Galveston Historical Society
        • Gardarsholm Heritage Centre
        • Gerald Coke Handel Gallery
        • Gettysburg College
        • Girvan Community Developments
        • Globo Media Corporation
        • Grey Art Gallery
        • Greyhound
        • Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology
        • Haitian Institute for the Protection of National Heritage
        • Hangsheng ECHO Magazine
        • Hangzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum
        • Harley Davidson
        • Heard Museum
        • Heartland Heritage Center
        • Hebrew Union College
        • Henry Ford Museum
        • Historic Charleston Foundation
        • Historic Landmarks Preservation Center
        • Historic Philadelphia, Inc.
        • Holocaust Museum Houston
        • Horniman Museum
        • House Mill
        • H. Stern Company
        • Hudson River Fish Hatchery
        • Humboldt Forum
        • IBM
        • Illinois State Museum
        • Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library
        • Indiana State Museum
        • Institute for Emerging Issues
        • Institute for Research in History
        • Intel Museum
        • International African American Museum
        • International Museum of Photography and Film
        • James A. Michener Art Museum
        • James Madison’s Montpelier
        • Japanese American National Museum
        • Jazz Museum in Harlem
        • Jerusalem Museum of Natural History
        • Jewish Museum of San Francisco
        • Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
        • Judah L. Magnes Museum and Western Jewish History Archive
        • Kaiser Permanente
        • Kliptown Experience
        • Kuwait National Guard Museum
        • League of American Theaters and Producers
        • Lehigh University
        • Liberty Science Center
        • Library of Congress
        • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
        • Lincolnshire County Council
        • Ling Jiou Mountain Monastery
        • London Museum of Natural History
        • London Olympic Delivery Authority
        • London Science Museum
        • London Transport Museum
        • Longyear Museum
        • Los Angeles State Historic Park
        • Louisiana Arts and Science Museum
        • Louisville Science Center
        • Maidstone Museum
        • Maritime Experiential Museum
        • Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site
        • Maymont Estate
        • Maze Long Kesh Peace Building and Conflict Resolution Centre
        • Memory Conservation Hall
        • Merchant Marine Academy
        • Monticello
        • Moody Gardens
        • Morris County Museum of Art
        • Municipal Art Society
        • Musee du Quai Branly
        • Museum of African American History, Boston
        • Museum of American Folk Art
        • Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
        • Museum of Fine Arts
        • Museum of Florida History
        • Museum of Garden History
        • Museum of Mathematics
        • Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
        • Museum of Northern Arizona
        • Museum of Portuguese Language
        • Museum of the City of New York
        • Museum of Tomorrow
        • Museum of Victoria
        • Museum of World Religions
        • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
        • NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
        • NASCAR
        • National Art Museum of China
        • National Black Cultural Archives
        • National Building Museum
        • National Cable Center
        • National Cartoon Museum
        • National Civil Rights Museum
        • National Constitution Center
        • National Low Carbon Museum
        • National Maritime Museum
        • National Museum of Australia
        • National Museum of Libya
        • National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
        • National Museum of Natural History, Taiwan
        • National Museum of Prehistory, Taiwan
        • National Museum of Scotland
        • National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum
        • National Park Service
        • National Postal Museum
        • National Purple Heart Hall of Honor
        • National Railway Museum
        • National Science and Technology Museum, Taiwan
        • National Storytelling Center
        • National Trust for Scotland
        • National Women's History Museum
        • National Word War I Museum
        • Nationwide Children's Hospital
        • Natural History Museum of Denmark
        • Natural History Museum of Libya
        • Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
        • Natural History Museum of Utah
        • Nauticus
        • NBC
        • Nelson Mandela Foundation
        • New Jersey Hall of Fame
        • Newseum
        • New York Botanical Garden
        • New York City Association of Life Underwriters
        • New York Giants
        • New York Historical Society
        • New York Public Library
        • New York State Museum
        • New York State Thruway Authority
        • New York Stock Exchange
        • New York Times
        • New York University
        • Nordic Heritage Museum
        • Norsk Teknisk Museum
        • North Carolina Museum of History
        • Northern Ireland's Museum and Arts Centre
        • North Shore Science Museum
        • Northwestern College of Media and Communications, Qatar
        • NuSkin
        • NYU Pediatric Hospital
        • Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library
        • Orange County Historical society
        • Pacific Tsunami Museum
        • Parrish Museum
        • Patsy Cline Museum
        • Pittsburgh Air and Space Museum
        • Pitzhanger Manor and Walpole Park
        • Plymouth Rock National Monument
        • Poet's House
        • Pollack Krasner House
        • Presidio
        • Pushkin Museum
        • Queens Council for the Arts
        • Queens West Waterfront Park
        • Richardson Center Corporation
        • Richmond Historic Riverfront Foundation
        • Rivers of Steel Museum
        • Roberto Marinho Foundation
        • Rochester Museum and Science Center
        • Ronald Lauder Foundation
        • Royal Academy of Music
        • Royal Botanic Garden
        • Royal Cornwall Museum
        • Royal Enfield Living Museum
        • Royal Museum of Scotland
        • Royal Ontario Museum
        • Running Subway/Discovery Center Times Square
        • Running Subway/Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex
        • Rutgers University
        • Samsung
        • Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
        • Scholastic Magazine
        • Sci-Tech Park
        • SC Johnson
        • Sentosa Integrated Resort Maritime Museum
        • Shanghai Metro Museum
        • Shanghai Songjiang District Culture Department
        • Sheik Zayed National Museum
        • Singapore Discovery Centre
        • Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
        • Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
        • Soldiers Memorial Museum
        • Sotheby's
        • South Lake Union Park
        • Spectacular Cities
        • Stanford Law School
        • Stans Museum of Life and the Environment
        • Starbucks
        • Staten Island Children’s Museum
        • State of New Mexico
        • State of Rio de Janeiro
        • Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Island Foundation
        • Steel Industry Heritage Corporation
        • Steuben Glass
        • St. Paul’s Cathedral
        • Taltree Arboretum
        • Tampa Museum of Art and Lock Haven Art Center
        • Taskin Art and Architecture Center
        • Taskin Investment Co., Ltd
        • Theater Communication Group
        • The Beijing Capital Museum
        • The Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center Foundation
        • The Foundling Museum
        • The Fund for Arts and Culture in Eastern Europe
        • The History Channel
        • The Hunley
        • The Jackie Robinson Museum
        • The Jewish Museum
        • The Jewish Museum of San Francisco
        • The New York Telephone Museum
        • The Royal Albert Memorial Museum
        • The Salvation Army Visitor Center
        • The United States Information Agency (USIA)
        • Thomas Edison National Historical Park
        • Tianjin Electricity Museum
        • Time Life
        • Tower of London
        • Town of Jonesborough, Tennessee
        • Transport Workers Union
        • Trotting Horse Museum/Hall of Fame
        • Tufts University
        • Tuskegee Human & Civil Rights Center
        • Twin Lights Historical Society
        • UNICEF
        • United Exhibits Group
        • United States Attorneys for the Southern District of New York
        • United States Military Academy
        • Universal Companies
        • Universal Forum of Cultures
        • University of Arizona
        • Uppakra Archaeological Center
        • U.S. Army Aviation Museum
        • U.S. Coast Guard Academy
        • U.S. F.I.R.S.T.
        • U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
        • U.S. Institute of Peace
        • U.S. Museum of Diplomacy
        • USS Constellation Museum
        • Venture Richmond
        • Victoria and Albert Museum and Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust
        • Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
        • Virginia Historical Society
        • Volkswagen
        • Volvo Eicher
        • Vulcan, Inc.
        • Walmart
        • Walmart
        • Walt Whitman Historic Site
        • Westinghouse Energy Gallery
        • West Kowloon Cultural District
        • Whitney Museum of American Art
        • William J. Clinton Presidential Center
        • Wings of Liberty Museum
        • World Expo 2010 Shanghai
        • World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum
        • Yeltsin Presidential Center
        • Yeshiva University Museum
        • Yorktown Victory Center

        Awards (291)

        RAA projects have been honored with the following 300+ awards in the fields of design and communication.

        2018
          2017
            2016
              2015
                2014
                  2013
                    2012
                      2011
                        2010
                          2000—2009
                            1990—1999
                              1980—1989
                                1970—1979
                                  © 2014, Ralph Appelbaum Associates, Inc.